A beautiful week of crisp spring weather in the green lands of northern Afghanistan turned to terror for hundreds of Afghan schoolgirls.

At Khadija Kobra High School in Kunduz province, girls were studying inside the walls of their open-air school, sitting at their desks as leaves rustled above them with the fresh breeze blowing through.

But suddenly something changed.

“We noticed that the air in the school smelled beautiful, like a flower, as if someone sprayed perfume into the school,” said Alia Ghizalkohee, a teacher at the school.

And that’s when the girls started to drop one after the other.

“We were all in a panic and wanted to get out,” 16-year-old Soodaba said. “That’s when we noticed the crowd at the door and this strong perfume like fragrance hitting our sinuses and suddenly we started getting dizzy.”

Khadija High School is for the most part cut off from the rest of the population by three roads and a mosque surrounding it on all sides, making it an easy target.

The girls began vomiting and fainting, many rushed to the hospital.

At first people suspected mass hysteria until two more schools on different days went through the same frightening ordeal.

The regional hospital administered to 124 girls from the three schools and more than a hundred more women and girls showed up to be checked out but turned away.

“This is the first time during the six years I’ve been here as hospital director that we’ve seen these kind of patients,” said Dr. Humayoun Khamoush, the director of Kunduz’s Regional Hospital.

Toxicologists are investigating but it's not clear how it was released.

Although a Taliban spokesman has denied responsibility, Kunduz is a unique part of Afghanistan with various militant groups operating in the same vicinity – from the Taliban to al Qaeda and the group Hizbi-Islami among others.

It’s not clear to officials who the perpetrators were.

“The enemies of this country don’t want the children of this country to be educated, but right now we don’t know what group this enemy was from,” said Sayed Karim Talash, the investigation officer from the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.

But the girls and teachers say they know who did it – they blame the Taliban.

“What have the girls done to these people?” Shafika Ghulamsakhi said with tears in her eyes. “They should be enemies with those who are their enemies. Not us, a student, a teacher or a principal. What right do they have to make us their enemy? And perform this despicable act.”

Denied an education during the Taliban, Shafika knows all too well the pain of not being able to go to school.

She is now 20 years old and in the 9th grade. And now she is reliving memories of darker days.

“Would you believe that it’s been a week now that I haven’t wanted to come to class?” she said starting to sob.

But the girls of Khadija Kobra High School, including Shafika, say with time they will have their revenge.

“I want to be a lawyer,” she said. “Just like they tried to poison us, I’m going to poison them but I’m not going to do it their way. I’m going to shame them with my words. I want to banish them with my education. It’s not necessary to just have poison to destroy someone.”

A week after the attack, 80 percent of the student body showed up to school, even though many families are afraid of sending their daughters back.

“There is fear in one's heart,” said the mother of one 16-year-old student, “when they go, thoughts rush through my head. What if she goes and something happens again?”

Jamila Taj has three daughters who go to the high school. And although she is scared for her children she believes the risk is worth her daughter getting an education.

“They have to go to school and study so they can be of service to their country. With girls, when these things happen, they have to go back,” she said.

And the girls and teachers agree. They are the future of a land lost in war. And if the militants don’t know that, at least the girls do.

soundoff(96 Responses)

jean

Another lovly example of peace , love , human rights,educational rights
in the Muslem World. Yet in the USA we are suppose to honor their rights
in New York. Why does not the Muslem World turn on these people and protect thier woman???? Because thier woman are of no value to them, they are only property! Where in the Koran is it written to kill innocent
woman and girls.True Muslem's unite and drive these people out!!!!

The only way to stop or limit these shameless attacks is to make the punishment worse than than the crime,, execute these terrorists in public and cover them in pigs blood,, after a few executions, the taliban will have a lot harder time recruiting people to do their will

the greatest human tradgedy in the last 20 years has been christians killing christians in the Congo. Maybe some of the christian posters here would head on over there and try to help out instead of telling muslims how THEY should behave.

a "bigoted woman", i should say hahaha! what happened? tell me one thing that women invented... she's just mad to see that all advances are made for men. you see names like Einsten, Newton... and for women, we see... Sarah Palin, perhaps haahaha! without a man, i should say, she not even would be her, talking crap hahahaa! what's sup, kathy? you miss your daddy? hahaha!

"Its about time the women took a stand for themselves. I find that men today still think they hold the upper hand but i believe that if that 80% of there women keep fighting for what they believe just maybe they will be the ones to make a difference in there country."

CC, if all the woman in any country stuck together along with some of the men who do realize that women are the superior gender and would fix the mess the males have left us in, we could take over and fix these things. LOL, women have been cleaning up the mess men make in the house for ages, it is about time we let women fix the mess males have made in society.

these people say there so religous , they prey all day ,i know in there bibel there ala doesnt say to kill people ,yet they kill there own people , why do they hurt children that want to study and make something of there life and want to do good enstead of being evil like them talibans.why do they hate americans so much ?why dont they just worrie about there country and leave us alone, why is our goverment sending our people over there to get killed and for what . oil and greed and money, if they want to blow them selves up let them we need to worrie about our country and protect the americans from those people coming over her they need to deport all thoses people back to there country and stop buying all there products they sell in all thoses stores they have here in our country to help saport arm and terorisum in tthere country.we need to put all the marines and officers her in our country to protect our people from them coming over here and killing inocent people .these people have no love or compastion or any feelings towards a human life,they kill and torture there own women and children, burn a girl with acid cause she want to learn, or they marry a child to a man in his 50 to 80 and what they do to the girls in there counrty there sick people .they dont even beleave in there god cause no god tells you to kill or hurt people only the devil is like that, but anway they should make them go back to there country all of them , so they cant studie to fly planes and make boms and posin to kill us in our own country. but or goverment only cares about money , they dont even care about our own people in america and all them men and women fighting a losing war , those people are sick and need to be left alone and worrie about our own,

Its about time the women took a stand for themselves. I find that men today still think they hold the upper hand but i believe that if that 80% of there women keep fighting for what they believe just maybe they will be the ones to make a difference in there country. I read how some of the men join the Taliban because they feel like they have to because there are no jobs. Then you see these women doing something about it to become something. Best of luck for those women.

The world would probably be a wonderful place if Man had not shown up and ruined it.

Posted by: Slum Jelly

It will be a much better place when "man" as in male lets women take control to fix the mess males have made for us

Maximilian you are light, these men think with what is between their legs and they do fear women and especially educated ones because they know that when women get an education, they will know that they are the superior gender, not the males

Most of what is done by the Talban is out of fear. This is no different. They fear that the girls will become educated woman and have their own free will and they will no longer be under the control of their fathers and husbands. Sad to think that the Taliban seeks to dominate their world by oppressing their women when they should realize that women are the key to their society – imagine what educated women can do.

My praise to these women and girls who refuse to be subjugated. Continue to educate yourselves. Do NOT let your enemies keep you ignorant and weak. Stay strong of heart and mind. You can accomplish anything.

Kathy, you said that "Maybe in another 100 years, it will be unAmerican for males to vote as women will have taken control to fix the mess that the males have made."

Even though I am a male, I agree with you but I hope it does not take 100 years. Now would be just dandy with me to let women take total control because I agree we males have made a big mess out of things.

I read your other statements (#64) and I agree with that too, that many males do fear strong, educated women because they are afraid to admit their own weakness. It would appear that you view women as the superior gender from what you have said but even though I am a male like I said, I would have to agree with you on that statement too. The sooner we males accept our status (just like we wanted women to accept their status until we were proven wrong about our superiority ) the sooner our world can be placed in the hands of those who will stop things like this story is about.,

Iraq Paramedic, quit your evangelism. You Christians come onto anywhere and glorify about your faith, especially on Islam-related topics.
For all who believe the Taliban and Al Queda are Muslim, please do a fact check from Ilsmaic sources. Many don't want to because then their hatred gets answered.

MAYBE SOMEONE SPRAYED DEORDERANT? it seems like muslims are terrified by things like deoderant, soap, water, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. i believe those things are as dangerous to muslims as kryptonite is to superman. have you ever been around muslims? muslims smell bad, i mean really bad. even the ones here in the u.s.a. so it can't be because muslims don't have access to proper hygiene,

At least these girls could get treatment. A similar thing happened to working class citizens in thsi country (USA) and they were refused treatment and marginalized. Maybe that was the test case. Are we all so sure that we did not do this to these girls if we do it to our own people (check it out the 'Maxie Time' diary)?

STUPID, UNEDUCATED PEOPLE MAKE GOOD MUSLIMS BECAUSE THEY ARE EASILY BRAINWASHED. as long as women are denied an education, they are the primary teachers of their children. the mother must obey the laws of islam and the children believe that this is they correct way to live. then when the boys are old enough to go to school, most of them have only one choice. a radical maddrassa that teaches intolerance for the rest of the world. these maddrassas teach young boys that they must die in jahad in order to go to heaven. thats why there is no shortage in suicide bombers. maybe woman suicide bombers believe that death is better than their miserable existence. EDUCATION, TV , MUSIC, AND THE INTERNET ARE THE BIGGEST THREATS TO THE TALIBAN. THATS WHY THEY ARE BANNED.

13 "Why do they do this? FEAR!!! If the women become educated then they will know how badly they are treated in these countries

Lee most males fear women who are smarter than they are and unfortunate for them, this means most males fear most women, especially educated ones.

It was not too long ago that we faced this in this country too. Now we find women doctors, engineers and women with PhDs in all fields and we are proving to be as good and in most cases better than the males. My husband will not even see a male doctor as he says the women do a better job and miss a lot less. The more education girls and women get, the more we will find this to be true for most fields and the average a male is very afraid educated women will reveal the the weakness of the human male.

There is nothing wrong with admitting our weakness as we can than seek help in those areas.

#50, "Go ahead and kill all your women," In reality, we all know tha it is the MALE who is the more disposable gender and males do a good job at self disposale or in killing other males. These male would be wise to take a lesson from women and learn to get along.

It may have been phosgene. This is a gas that was used in WWI and smells sweet like what the girls were saying. There are stockpiles still around.
I would like to see the male family members of these girls stand up for their education. I never see men upset that their women are not being educated. The men must help too.

Why would you say that about people of your country? Would you like to be part of the Taliban? Why defend them because of your bad political beliefs. You should look at things more objectivly. Why isolate groups? It is people like you that prevent a united nation. I'm glad your voice is small. You will ignore facts because of your hate for the RIGHT or (correct). Perhaps it would be more tasteful if the democrates use it as a "political point"?

What chemical? Considering traditional chemical warfare agents are tough to make or purchase, I suspect a toxic industrial chemical. The smell and purported symtoms leads me believe that the poison was some type of isocyanate. Isocyanates are used in industrial paints and plastics manufacturing. I'm suprised the identification of the samples has not been released yet/

If we look at most of the worlds history it is riddled with man made distruction and hatred in the name of an "all loving" character. This is a form of projection and denial. I would like to start a NO-RELIGION Religion. How many wars have been fought in the Name of religion. The Vatican and it's people are just as guilty. Having a hardened single view causes hatred and contempt. If god exists or not, you share your bread with your neighbor not GOD.

And I hope the girls are ok. Science, education, and intellect have been oppressed more than anything else in the world and it is always FEAR from some RELIGIOUS group.

Just about the time I start having second thoughts about Afganistan, the Taliban shows their lack of intelligence and apathy with an act like this. This is terrorism at it's worse, praying on innocent victims as usual.

No wonder they fear Shafika and those like her. At twenty and in the ninth grade, she demonstrates the intelligence, bravery, and wisdom, the Taliban fears most. They can't recruit these girls.

This is why the Americans are there and our tax dollars are well spent. This is better than a congressional fact finding visit.

I know everyone means well, but it is just so ironic to see so many scripture passages here. It is religion, a misinterpretation in my mind, that has caused this. For anyone who thinks these acts by the Taliban are new, you are wrong. They constantly target girls' schools, typically for destruction or actually killing/maiming the students and/or teachers. All indications are, however, the people of Afghanistan will get sick of the Taliban's threatening and destruction, sending them to the depths where they belong.
Afghans are a strong, noble, as well as stubborn people (in a good way!). This brutality will not win.

Earthmother defender of your childern, bless these girls and may they be guided by your gental hands on their path for enlightenment. Please provide them with bravery, protction, love and probably the most important of all peace. Please Great Earthmother let their enemies attacks fail, make thier enemies bullets miss the innocent, let their enemies hate turn to love, and may all the middle east finally know peace for all time.

taliban seem to be always the one, who is the evil actor.
how many civilians were killed by isaf, us and german, troops,
besides the 144 citizens, murdered on commander oberst klein.
afghanistan may not be the irak and to make aplan will be difficult
with loosers.
nevertheless get out of the country with your stupid army.
russia needed 10 years.
how long did you stay in vietnam and how many taxes did you
have to pay?
praise the lord , that senator mc cain came back home.
who will make the sign of victory?
start to count the dead ones and the costs.

Thank you for posting this... It reminds me of why I am in school and how blessed I am to be receiving an education – let alone being able to do so without the fear of being killed everyday... I hope that such inspirational articles will be published more often

Bledsoe, More and more of this right-wing bla-bla-bla accusing the Taliban whether they are guilty or not.Now the the right-wing thugs in Washington will use this as another excuse to keep us in Afghanistan.

Stop trying to score political points. You are not very good at it; kind of blah blah, in fact. These are innocent girls we're talking about...

This story epitomizes to me why I despise all religions. The religion that invoked this primitive attacks and which underwrites the brainless comments I am reading here in response to it. You are all cut from the same cloth! The sooner you stop believing in invisible sky-gods, the better.

And president Karzai's response to this is?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

This girl has the right idea and more power to her:
“I want to be a lawyer,” she said. “Just like they tried to poison us, I’m going to poison them but I’m not going to do it their way. I’m going to shame them with my words. I want to banish them with my education. It’s not necessary to just have poison to destroy someone.”

The Taliban are groups of ignorant uneducated violently s e x u a l l y abused men who have turned rogue qnd criminal. Pity the boys that are bought and sold for s e x u a l usage. Pity the girls treated like trash.

The education of children is the most important thing a country's has to take care of. these girls are braver and stronger than that violent and terrorist group. I hope these girls can make their dreams come true with the help of their new democratic goverment an get rid of the shadow of ignorance.

its very sad to see and hear all these things going on in one country alone but what can one do but only pray and asked that ineday these wicked people realise that they are destroying thier own country and people my condolences to the girls and their family may GOD give them peace and the courage to stay syrong>AMEN

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (I Corinthians 14:34-35)

The ones who are committing these henious crimes are NOT Muslims. Islam teaches ONLY love and care for others, be they Muslim or NOT. Islam never talks about indiscriminate killing. Pick up any Koran and read it with open mind to see for yourself. Seek knowledge in Islam before blaming on Islam, or addressing about Islam. It is a very open, clear message for ALL mankind and provides a "Way of Life" in a simple yet coherent manner. The ones who commit these types or crimes are for one, criminals, secndly, they are so far away from the teachings of Islam that they have been "brain Washed" by political profit seekers for their personal gains. We all Muslims and Christians and other believers MUST collectively fight them to save peace and prosperity for ALL. It is no longer the matter of fight against Islam or in favor of Christianity. It is a war against few power hungery mongers. May Allah guide us all because God (Allah) can only guide who ever seeks His guidance without associating anyone with Him as His partner. He does not need any parteners. We all need Him.

What is wrong with saying "God Bless?" We all have the freedom of religion. The backing of most religions work for peace anyways. No "normal" human wants destruction and death. The majority of the extremists that kill for their religion represent a very small minority of their religion, while being denounced by the majority.

If you are a person that wants to bomb the countries off the map, shame on you. You are giving in to these criminals and doing exactly just like them but on the opposite side. Of course we need to fight these evil people, but there are innocent people in those countriess too, like these girls. The girl who talked about fighting the Taliban with a good education is the smartest statement on this page. It'd probably NEVER happen, but IF terrorists swarmed the United States, would you want a country to bomb us? Killing you and your family? I don't know, but I highly doubt you would support that. We should be EXTREMELY grateful that we do no not live in a war torn country. I couldn't imagine dealing with economic issues, politics, education, etc if we had missles flying over our heads and suicide bombers walking our streets. I bet most of us don't have it half as bad as these girls! One of them is 19 and only a freshman?!?! That'd probably make headlines here and that problem wouldn't make the local newspaper there (if they ahve one). Students are afraid of going to school cause they are nervous about being gased out? Wow.

Please stop saying things like "Christian Nation" and that the "scripture will save these people". That kind of ignorant rhetoric is the same kind of thing that the perpetrators of this act use to justify their actions. Why is it so difficult for so many people to see that these "God bless" wishes, etc., are the very same things that cause these acts. Drop these silly religious delusions and replace them with real rationale and these kind of occurances would cease to exist on both sides. Christians, Muslim, etc., may not seem like the same things, but they all justify their irrational actions the same way and they all think that they are doing what is "right" when what they are really doing is creating a hostile, irrational world climate based on their encyclopedic ignorance of the world around them.

God bless them and keep them safe. Those little girls, and their parents, are TRUE heros exhibiting an EXTRAORDINARY amount of courage. I do not know if I would be as courageous. God bless them – they are ALSO putting their lives on the line in order to make the world a better place.

This is getting old, seriously, the Taliban needs to step off and educate themselves. If that bomb had gone off, many significant lives would have been lost, including Muslims and their "own" people. So what is the Taliban trying to get at? What Qu'ran are they reading that tells them to kill people or any holy book at all. Honestly the Taliban needs to step off in every country because everyone is getting tired of them. The U.S will not stand for this. They should be thankful that the bomb did not go off, because it would have started another war. They tell us to get out of their countries, but because of September 11th, we were brought to them. Why do they continue to provoke us when they don't want us there. Keep blowing things up in our country and we will continue to occupy yours. If they had any amount of common sense, they would see the pattern. As a Muslim American, the Taliban is disgrace to me. I hope as much as anyone else that their entire group falls. This is not Islam, these are uneducated individuals speaking of war in the name of Islam. They pervert the religion to gain some satisfaction in their acts.

All these girls want is an education. The men in this country are pathetic. The men also need an education to join the world and not live in the tribal past of 2,000 years ago.
Why do they do this? FEAR!!! If the women become educated then they will know how badly they are treated in these countries. They will no longer be happy just being baby makers, and babysitters for these pathetic men.

I am neither Christian nor Muslim, but I also send my prayers for these girls to recover – and ask, how can grown men feel threatened by girls in all girl schools, teaching them basic education? GROWN MEN threatened??? Grown Men have to harm young girls because their egos are threatened??? This does NOT compute!

again and again these attacks happen , the afghan men are unable to find these perpatrators and also feel very angry just like the rest of us , this is not a muslim extremist attack but a attack by evil and wicked indiviauls who have blended in among the population , while nato and taliban forces fight on ,these monsters prey on innocent women and children , lets just stop this war and concertrate on building infustructure and law& order , Stop fighting the taliban in thier own country and we will succeed

Hooray for the courage and spirit of these young girls. We should support them in whatever way possible and commend them for their bravery against ignorance. This is the only way the battle will be won.

Islam always encourages all mankind to seek knowledge and be educated. But wondering, in this part of the world why that's not happening that's unbelieveable. May Allah guide them with knowledge so they would refrain from doing such crime on innocents.

While I agree with Daniel I have to say that scripture alone will not change the minds of those intent on haming innocents. If these girls turn the other cheek, they would simply get that one slashed too.

@Jose Mojica.It's like a breath of fresh air to see someone quoting the bible here after seeing all these stupid warmongers blogging in here glorifying all this killing especially by those cursed drone aircraft.If anybody noticed all these blogs,one would think that we ceased to be a Christian nation.

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Afghanistan Crossroads is where CNN's reporting converges -- bringing you a diversity of voices, stunning images and video, global perspectives and the latest news from on the ground in Afghanistan and around the world.